Hello, Dear Readers! SURPRISE! I think this is a record for me! Here is the next chapter! My daughter started a 3 day a week preK program so I've finally had time to dedicate to my interests again. This chapter deals only with Shelby and Rachel's side of things, and there's a bit of Quinn at the end. She'll be the star of chapter 19! Enjoy!
Chapter 18: Repercussions, Part Two
Rachel's heart was beating hard and tears were streaming down her face as she hurried up the front steps and away from her decidedly upset mother. Her ears (and her rear) were still burning from Shelby's reprimand. She very cautiously approached the front door and her waiting aunt, worried that Sarah would add her own swats the moment she got close enough. She felt her face flush a brilliant crimson as her traitorous brain replayed the last few moments, knowing Sarah and Jack had witnessed everything.
Rachel had let out a low whimper when she saw her mother reappear on the porch, then hurry toward them in the car. Jack had opened his door first, jumping out and holding his hands out. Rachel saw that he had tried to say something to her mom, but Shelby ignored him as she continued towards Rachel's side. Rachel flung her own door open but remained inside the car, unable to move.
Shelby was at her side in an instant, her hand reaching in to grab her and pull her out. Rachel yelped in surprise and was then pulled into strong arms and held fiercely. She could feel her mother's anxiety and upset with her, but also an overwhelming abundance of love.
"Don't you ever pull a stunt like this again, young lady. You scared me to death!" Shelby scolded even as she nestled her cheek against Rachel's head. Rachel swore her mother smelled her then, as if she was trying to inhale her very essence.
"I'm sorry, Mom, I—I didn't mean to," Rachel answered back, clinging to her mother and soaking up all of the love she was willing to give.
Without warning, Shelby pulled back, holding Rachel by the shoulders and forcing eye contact. "I'm serious, Rachel. You cannot run off like that again, not ever. I don't care what the reason—mad, upset, bored—" At this, she paused and Rachel felt herself being turned to the side. Her mother spoke firmly and deliberately, "—You do—NOT—Run—Away." Her palm cracked down hard four times to emphasize her point. Rachel wailed.
She was spun to face her once more, tears clouding her mother's features, but she could make out enough to know that Shelby was staring deep down into her soul. It was enough to send a shiver down her spine and make her squirm uncomfortably. Well, that and the fact that her butt throbbed where her mom had spanked her—a foreboding sign for what was to come, she was sure. She was wearing denim mid-length shorts and she still felt the full force of those swats; she thought they should have provided more cushion than that…unless that was their cushion.
Shelby then pointed to the house, ordering her to go inside. "I need to talk to Uncle Jack and then I'll be inside and you and I are going to have a very long talk, young lady," she added.
Rachel could see the flash of anger in her mother's eyes and she felt a wave of guilt crash over her; it was her fault Shelby was angry at Jack. What if, because of her, their relationship was ruined? Rachel seemed to leave destruction in her wake no matter how hard she tried otherwise. "Please don't be mad at Uncle Jack," she begged. "It—It's my fault. I didn't want to come home. I'm sorry—"
Shelby shook her head. "I'm not mad at Uncle Jack, honey, I just need to talk to him. Go inside now," she said, pointing once more to the house. Rachel remained where she was, so her mother nudged her to get her moving. When she still stood, staring back, Shelby became firm, "Do as you are told, Rachel Barbra. Please don't add defiance to your list of offenses."
And that was how Rachel found herself in her current predicament, crying, blushing, and standing just out of reach of Sarah's grasp. "Rachel, get in the house NOW!" came her mother's frustrated yell. Rachel jumped and hesitated all of a millisecond before deciding Sarah was the safer of her two options right now.
"C'mon, honey, let's listen to your mom," Sarah said, reaching her arm out towards her niece to guide her forward. She didn't miss the way the small teen slunk past her, twisting just so to ensure her backside never faced Sarah. The woman shook her head and ushered the girl inside. She shut the door and then pulled Rachel into a tight hug.
Rachel let out a tiny gasp of surprise but soon found herself relaxing into the embrace. She squirmed when Sarah finally released her, holding her at arm's length much the same way Shelby had moments before. Dread filled her as she wondered if Sarah would finish it off the same way too.
"You caused quite a stir, young lady," her aunt said, though not unkindly. "You worried all of us."
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," Rachel found herself repeating the same apology she had given her mom.
Sarah reached out with her right hand to cup Rachel's flushed cheek, brushing the stray tears away with the pad of her thumb. "I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, but you are so very loved, sweetheart," she murmured.
"Even by you?" Rachel scoffed, her walls shoring up their defenses.
"What?" Sarah all but gasped. "Of course by me! Why would you think otherwise?"
"Because of…what I did to Lexi?" Rachel said uncertainly.
Sarah sighed and let go of Rachel. Rachel took that as a sign of rejection and tried to step away; Sarah grabbed her hand and pulled her into the living room and down onto the sofa to sit.
"Honey, I want you to listen to me," Sarah began, her hands sandwiching Rachel's good one between her own, "I love you. You are my niece and my family. There is nothing you could possibly ever do that would make me stop loving you for even a second. Do you hear me?"
"But Lexi—"
"Lexi eavesdropped on a private conversation between your mom and me and then used that misheard information against you to hurt you. She is just as much to blame for what happened between the two of you as you are. She will be apologizing to you for her actions, as I'm sure your mom will tell you to do for yours. And I've punished Lexi for her role today; I'm hoping this is the last time she will do something like this to you or anyone else. Whatever consequences your mom decides are appropriate for your part is between the two of you…though I do hope it's the last time you act this way as well."
"It will be 'cause Mom's gonna kill me," Rachel lamented. Or just get rid of me, she added to herself as more tears fell.
Sarah chuckled gently, pulling Rachel into her arms once more. "It'll only feel that way for a little while, I expect," she reassured.
"Aunt Saraaaah," Rachel whined, feeling her face heat up. What was it with this family and the spanking jokes? They acted like it was no big deal. It was a very, VERY big deal! Especially when it was Rachel's ass on the line!
"I don't think your mom's anywhere near as upset about the situation with Lexi as she is about how you've been acting around Quinn and especially running off like you did. You scared her, Rach."
Jack let out a long sigh as Shelby's attention returned to him once Rachel was safely inside. "Took you long enough, didn't it?" she said as she stalked towards him. He knew his sister was near to bursting with pent-up energy that now needed somewhere to go. He was more than happy to help her blow off that steam.
"Take a few deep breaths, Shelbs," he directed, his voice calm, soothing. Shelby rolled her eyes and huffed.
"I'm calm, Jack," she grumbled. "I am," she added at his dubious look. "I'm just…frustrated. It's not like I haven't tried talking to her to get her to open up. She refuses. She just becomes defensive and argumentative. I've tried to be patient and understanding. I've tried sending her to her room and early bedtimes. Her behavior doesn't change—it's getting worse. And for her to just run like that. She can't—Jacky, she ran away from me. What am I…Am I doing something wrong here? I'm trying, I want to help. I can't help if she won't let me in. And her behavior…I don't know the reason behind it and I can only guess and—and—I can't just let her get away with being mean to others, whatever else is going on. I can't."
"You aren't doing anything wrong, Shelbs. It's—I duno the reason behind her behavior with Quinn either, she wouldn't tell me, but something is going on there. She was really upset over why I was there to get her instead of you. She—She thought it was because you were too angry and didn't want to see her. She's afraid she's going to be sent away if she does something bad enough or makes you mad enough…I told her you'd never do that but she's scared."
Shelby felt like her heart was being ripped from her chest with a butter knife—agonizingly slow and extremely painful. She should have known better. It was no secret that Rachel was afraid of doing something to lose her last parent—how could she not, when the two who had raised her for fourteen years tossed her aside like last week's garbage?
Jack could see the self-loathing written all over his sister's face. "Hey," he ducked his head to gain eye contact. "I didn't tell you that to make you feel bad. You have nothing to feel bad over anyway. Rachel doesn't think those things because of you. It's because of those assholes who—" Jack stopped himself; he felt the anger at those men surging through his veins and knew if he continued on that thread he would be too angry himself to be of any help to Shelby. He took a deep breath and began again. "This is all new to her. We all have to remember, you've only had her for a little over a month and her entire world has been turned upside down. She's waiting for the other shoe to drop."
The look on Shelby's face didn't improve, so Jack kept going. "I just wanted you to be aware. I'm not sure she will bring it up with you herself. Maybe that's part of the reason she doesn't want to open up to you, for fear of rejection and—and being sent away."
Shelby's stomach clenched. Was she not doing enough for her child to make her feel safe? And loved? She wanted to run inside and scoop Rachel up in her arms and forget about any and all punishment. Something must have shown on her face, because Jack jumped right in over those thoughts.
"That doesn't mean she gets a free pass on her behavior!" he said. "You have to be consistent with her, keep your promises to her—whether they're positive or negative, you have to keep them. That's how you earn her trust. Show up and do what you say you will. All kids want safety and structure, Rachel even more so because she's never had a parent be there for her through everything."
"But if she ran because she's scared, how can I…I can't spank her. Shouldn't I let this slide instead? Talk to her but no punishment?"
"No!" Jack exclaimed, running a hand through his hair. "That's the worst thing you could do for her. You've promised her a spanking—Hell, she expects it, Shel. She knows what she did was wrong and she knows she's going to be punished for it. Besides, there is something happening with Quinn. She was plenty defensive and just plain angry whenever I tried to crack that shell. But whatever is happening there, you are absolutely right—you can't let her act that way or be mean to others just because what? She doesn't like them? That won't fly. You know it and deep down, she knows it too."
Shelby sighed, letting her brother's words sink in. He hadn't said anything she didn't already know, even if she didn't want to admit it to herself in this moment. She had had every intention of following through with Rachel's spanking when the girl got home, after a much-needed shower and talk, but it was easier to resign herself to it when she just thought it had to do with unresolved jealousy and maybe even a healthy dose of her child testing her boundaries. Being reminded that Rachel was still so new to this life and her part in this family, that her fears were immense and dug deep…Shelby didn't want to have to be the hard-ass here. But, even with those fears, it didn't mean Rachel got a pass on poor behavior. Shelby could address both—and she would.
Sarah didn't miss the way Rachel tensed at the mention of Quinn. She knew Shelby had been chalking Rachel's behavior toward the other teen up to jealousy, but Sarah wasn't so sure. Her gut told her something bigger was going on, but without more information, she couldn't even begin to guess the problem. She understood why Shelby was so frustrated with the matter. It was going to take time to learn Rachel's tells and what made her tick, and with Rachel so unwilling to open up about any of it, it was like fumbling around in the dark.
"You know, Rach, no matter how upset or angry your mom is with your actions, it's never directed at you. Do you understand that? You can hate someone's behavior and love them very, very much. And your mom loves you more than words can say, sweetheart," Sarah reassured the girl. She wasn't sure how helpful it was in this moment, but Rachel needed to hear it regardless.
Rachel sighed and wiggled out of her aunt's arms. She needed space. At this point, she was mentally, emotionally, and physically drained. She just wanted to get all of this over with. She wanted a bath and to curl up in her bed and take a nap, and to forget this day ever happened. "I—I'm gonna go to my room, Aunt Sarah," she said. She was up and heading for the stairs before her aunt could respond. Unfortunately, her mom and Uncle Jack chose that exact moment to come inside. Shelby automatically reached a hand out and stopped her.
"Mom, please…I just—I just wanna go to my room," her voice cracked and she briefly met hazel eyes—enough to see them soften. Her mother nodded and let her go.
"I'll be up shortly. Start getting out of those clothes—you need a bath," Shelby called after her child's retreating back. She offered a small, warm smile at the surprised glance Rachel threw over her shoulder.
The three adults waited until they heard the click of Rachel's door closing before heading into the living room together. Sarah sat on the sofa first, followed by Shelby; Jack leaned against the armrest. "Something's definitely up with her and Quinn," Sarah revealed. "And Rachel's more than a little worried about how upset you are. She told me you're going to kill her."
Shelby sighed. It was the same thing Jack told her all over again. Why were these two seemingly able to read her child so much better than she was?
"We've just had loads more practice," Jack answered when she asked it out loud. "You know Rachel best though."
"It sure as hell doesn't feel like it!" Shelby groaned into her hands. "I feel like I'm screwing up left and right."
Sarah laid a gentle hand on her sister-in-law's shoulder in sympathy and support. What mother—what parent—hadn't felt the same at one time or another while raising children? "You're not alone, Shelbs," she murmured. "I know it doesn't feel like it to you right now, but you are doing amazing with Rachel. The poor girl's just…confused right now. She needs constant reassurance and proof that you are here and are staying. Hug her, kiss her—spank her. She is looking for that structure and the knowledge that she will be taken care of, in all the ways she needs to be. Provide that for her, even when she pushes back—especially when she pushes back. That's normal, believe me."
"Sarah's right—consistency and follow-through. Show her you're here for the long haul. I don't know that she's going to make this easy for you. Try to talk it out first anyway, make it clear it's her behavior and not her you're upset with. Then light that little ass up and move on. You'll both feel better."
Shelby smiled in spite of herself—her brother had a way with words sometimes, the big-ass goofball. His levity achieved what it had meant to; Shelby was feeling lighter, more sure of herself. She knew that however it played out, she and Rachel were going to come out of it on the other side just fine.
Jack and Sarah offered several more words of encouragement, along with hugs, to Shelby before going to collect their own wayward child. Lexi came sulking out of the sunroom, following her parents in tense silence to the front door. Shelby offered her own hug to the girl and another apology on behalf of Rachel. "She'll apologize herself next time we see you," she added with a kiss to her niece's head.
Lexi grumbled something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like, "Yeah, well, bust her ass on behalf of me," as she made her departure. Both Sarah and Jack stopped her in her tracks.
"Excuse me?" Sarah gasped, followed by Jack's, "You wanna repeat that, little girl?"
Lexi spun on her heels, glaring at both parents in turn. "What?!" she whined. "I'm gonna have a black eye because of her! The least she deserves is a sore butt!"
"Alexandra Leigh—"
"Oh my God—Lexi!" Shelby couldn't stop her exclamation. She bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud—it would hardly do for her niece to think she approved of her sass. She was, however, wholly impressed with it—and glad she didn't have to deal with it.
"I know someone who's gonna have a sore butt!" Jack thundered, stepping into his daughter's space. In the blink of an eye, he snatched her arm, turned her to the side, and had delivered an almighty smack to her rear end.
Shelby winced at the sound and was reminded of the time when, at nineteen, she had been on the receiving end of that same hard hand. Her niece squealed and threw a hand back for protection, then hissed, "Daddy, don't!"
"You're walking a very thin line, Lex," Jack growled as he let the girl go. "Apologize to Aunt Shelby and say goodbye. We'll talk more at home."
Teary eyes met Shelby's as Lexi did as she was told. Shelby reached out to hug the girl and accepted her apology. "I know you're upset with Rachel right now. I get it, honey," she said, her tone gentle. Then more firm, "But how I decide to approach the situation with her is none of your business or up for discussion. She's not going to get away with cursing at you or slapping you, okay? That's all you need to know about the matter."
Lexi nodded and then allowed herself to be ushered out of the house by her mother. Jack hung back until they were out of earshot, then smirked at his sister. "See? I told you—consistency and follow-through."
Shelby laughed and pushed him out of her house, watching him catch up to his wife and daughter. She waved them away and then shut the door and locked it. She slumped against the back of it, staring up the stairs as she collected her thoughts. With a deep breath, Shelby pushed herself away from the door and towards the stairs. It was time to get this whole thing over with.
Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms
Rachel sat gingerly at the edge of her bed, still fully-dressed, just waiting for her mom to come upstairs. She had said she would be up "shortly". That felt like a lifetime ago, but according to her digital clock on her nightstand, had been barely fifteen minutes.
Shelby reached her daughter's door and rapped lightly against the paneled wood, hearing a startled gasp from inside. Turning the knob, she eased the door open. "I didn't mean to scare you, honey," she said as she moved into the room.
Rachel eyed her mother nervously, her heart beating rapidly at the suddenness of her arrival. She hadn't heard her coming at all. She stood as her mom moved further into the room, looking down at her clothes—still very much on her person—and wondered if she was going to be in trouble for that, too. Shelby had told her to start getting ready for a bath and she…hadn't. She just sat there, lost in her thoughts and her worry.
Shelby frowned at the unreadable expression on her daughter's face, her heart aching at the sight. She closed the distance between them and pulled her child into her arms. Rachel tensed for all of a second before relaxing into the embrace.
Rachel let out the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and buried her face in the crook of her mother's neck. It was safe here. She was safe. She breathed deeply, inhaling her mom's calming scent.
"It's okay, honey. I've got you. Mommy's right here," Shelby whispered her reassurances, allowing her child all the time she needed in this moment. After everything that had happened today, both of them needed this reset.
"I'm sorry I scared you," Rachel said, her voice muffled against her mother's skin. She nuzzled her face in deeper, not wanting to move, afraid she'd lose the comfort and safety of this space if she did.
"Thank you for the apology, honey," Shelby said as she rubbed her daughter's back. "You did scare me. Very much. You can't just run off like that—it's dangerous. We talked about this last time—but I'll give you that because you didn't know any better. You do know better this time and your choice today was deliberate. This cannot happen again, Rachel. Do you understand that?" Shelby held onto her child even as she scolded, while Rachel whimpered against her.
"I didn't—It wasn't like that!" Rachel protested, finally lifting her head away from her mom's neck. She was still held fast to the woman's body. "I didn't mean to. I-I wasn't thinking—"
"Mmm," Shelby hummed. "Well, today I will give you something to think about and remember for next time." Her hand lowered to pat firmly, not missing the way Rachel's whole body tensed as she clenched her bottom against that promise.
"Mommy, don't," Rachel whined as she squirmed away from her hand. Shelby finally let go, allowing Rachel to step back, and she let out a sigh of relief. Her daughter sounded so much like Lexi had only moments ago with Jack, allaying all of Shelby's fears that she wasn't doing right by Rachel. It was clear that she was, she just needed to follow her gut with the girl.
No longer worried about how she was going to approach their upcoming talk and Rachel's punishment, Shelby felt the weight of the world lift from her shoulders. She could now focus one hundred percent of her energy on reassuring Rachel of her love and then address and correct her ongoing behavior.
Mind made up, Shelby decided it was time to get this show on the road. With one step, Shelby eliminated the space Rachel had just created between them and took up the girl's chin, ensuring her full attention. "I love you with all of my heart, Rachel Barbra Corcoran," she began, staring deep into misty brown pools. "I don't love your behavior. I don't understand your behavior. But that doesn't mean I love you any less because of it. And it certainly doesn't mean I'm going anywhere or sending you away. You, my misbehaving little escape artist, are stuck with me—forever."
Rachel hadn't realized she was crying until her mom moved her hand from her chin to cup both of her cheeks instead and wiped her tears away with the pads of her fingers. She was then pulled close and Shelby planted kiss after kiss atop her forehead.
"C'mon, honey," Shelby said as she let her hands fall to her sides, "Let's get you in the shower and then we can talk through everything. I really do want to know what's going on so I can help. I can't help if I'm in the dark, sweetheart."
Rachel scowled and stepped back again. "Y-You said I could have a bath," she whined, wiping at her runny nose with her good hand.
Shelby's brows furrowed in slight confusion, surprised at how young Rachel looked and sounded in this moment, but quickly shook it off. She had said Rachel needed a bath, though she meant that more as in Rachel needed to bathe and get clean. While a shower would have certainly been the faster option, (and more than doable now that she had gotten Rachel a reusable, waterproof cast cover for her arm), she wasn't going to force the issue. If her kid wanted a bath—needed it to feel better—of course she could have a bath. Perhaps it would even work out for the better, allowing for a calm, soothing atmosphere in which they could talk.
"You're right, I did," Shelby confirmed. "Let's go start a bath, baby."
Whatever hope Shelby had for an easy, open conversation during a calming bath went out the window in a matter of seconds. No amount of lavender bath oil was going to soothe Rachel enough for her to cooperate with her mother for any length of time. And Shelby found that her reserve store of patience and understanding was quickly used up.
Shelby sighed as she held out a hand to help her stubborn girl up and out of the bathtub. She helped wrap a fluffy towel around Rachel's body before grabbing another to begin drying the girl's wet hair. Once that was done, she used that same towel to dab at the cast cover before removing it completely. Turning the teen, she grabbed up her brush and made quick work of brushing and then braiding her hair, before finally sending her off to get dressed.
Rachel left her mother's bathroom, surprised but grateful she hadn't been sent off with a swat (or more) for her growing reticence and refusal to answer any of her mother's questions. She couldn't—not if she hoped to keep a tight lid on the truth. She knew she was just digging herself in deeper at this point, but she couldn't see another way. She wanted to tell her mom to just get it over with—put them both out of their misery.
Shelby slumped down onto the closed toilet lid and rested her head in her hands. Breathing deeply, she repeated words of affirmation to herself. While she had hoped for a better outcome in terms of her talk with Rachel, the reality of it wasn't unexpected. She had gotten as far as she had any other time they had had this conversation in the last two weeks—absolutely fucking nowhere. As much as Sarah and Jack cautioned that there was something there between Rachel and Quinn, Shelby couldn't find it. And she had tried. Oh, had she tried!
She only had her own perspective to go off of—that and the little she had gleaned from her brother and sister-in-law, Lexi, and—to a lesser extent—Quinn herself. The information she had to go off of all pointed to Rachel simply being mean because she could. Oh, she suspected jealousy played a major role in it—that and the fact that Rachel felt she had a very precarious position in her new family. Not only was there growing rivalry amongst the cousins (at least in her daughter's eyes), but any outsider vying for attention (especially Shelby's attention) would be seen as a threat. Shelby understood it, but she couldn't condone it—and certainly not the way Rachel was going about it.
The real kicker here was that if her child would just talk to her, be open and honest with her, most if not all of this could have been avoided! Shelby wasn't heartless, she wasn't unreasonable. She saw that Rachel was struggling, and acting out because of it. But she wouldn't share her thoughts and feelings, choosing to bottle them up instead. Even when Shelby addressed them, made it clear that she knew Rachel was hiding instead of facing the things that were causing her distress, Rachel wouldn't budge. She continued to act out, regardless of how many times Shelby approached the matter, and it left the mother with very little latitude in how to proceed.
Rachel's emotions were reaching an all-time high as she moved into her bedroom to dress. Her stomach churned and more than anything, she wanted to fall into her mother's arms and sob. She wished she could skip this next part. Rachel had thought keeping her secret during Shelby's questioning would be the worst part, but now she realized the real struggle would be keeping her silence while she was having her ass handed to her.
Shelby gave her child approximately four minutes after leaving her bathroom before she got up to follow—more than enough time to don a t-shirt and panties. Crossing the hall, she paused only long enough outside her child's door to open it, and then marched into Rachel's room, startling the girl for the second time in less than half an hour. She didn't apologize this time, simply grabbed hold of Rachel's arm as she continued towards the bed. Plopping down on the edge of the mattress at a bit of an angle, she guided her daughter across her right knee, making sure the girl's upper body was supported on the bed behind her. She ignored her child's gasp and hurried protests as she brushed the baggy NYU shirt that had once been hers up and out of the way of her work area, and then lowered plain purple panties to mid-thigh.
Rachel inhaled a shaky breath at the suddenness of her position. To say she was shocked was an understatement. She knew this was coming, but she had thought her mom would have wanted to have another endless conversation beforehand. That was clearly not the case as she lay upended, bare-ass over her mother's right thigh, held firmly in place with an arm across her back, and her mother's left hand resting heavy against her tensed bottom.
The silence seemed to drag on forever and Rachel's heart beat rapidly against her ribcage. An endless mantra of 'Oh shit' echoed inside her head as she waited for her mother to begin. What is she waiting for? Rachel wondered after several more minutes (seconds?) passed without a sound. She clenched and unclenched her bottom muscles, legs stretching, trying to find the floor and failing. It was no use, they were too far off the ground, hanging helplessly in mid-air. It made her feel incredibly young and vulnerable. She was at her mother's mercy.
Shelby stared down at the child across her lap, bare bottom on full display. She watched as her daughter's unease grew as the seconds ticked by and nothing happened. Shelby let her stew—not long, but enough for her child to fully grasp her predicament, and perhaps start to think about all the ways she could have avoided this to begin with. It was then that she spoke.
"Alright, Rachel, I'm not going to belabor the point here with some big lecture," she began, ignoring the way her daughter jumped at the sound of her voice, "You know why you're here, but I'm gonna spell it out for you, in case there's any doubts—"
Rachel sucked in another breath, unused to this approach from her mother—it was so different from the last time she'd found herself in this position. Last time, Shelby had still managed to be soft even as she was hard. Today, she was all hard. Whatever softness she may have had was washed away with Rachel's bath water.
"You do not run away—I think I've more than covered why that is dangerous and won't be tolerated, but if not, my hand will make that abundantly clear in just a moment."
Rachel groaned and wriggled, wanting desperately to escape. Her mom had her very securely pinned with nowhere to go and no way to stop it—this train was leaving the station whether Rachel wanted it to or not. "You don't have to!" she found herself pleading.
"You do not curse—not in anger, not about someone, and especially not to someone. We've been over that more than once and I'm going to be washing your mouth out with soap for that later as well—"
"Wait, what?" Rachel croaked as her brain worked furiously to catch up to her mother's words. "Mom—no! You—You can't! That's not fair!"
Shelby paused at the protest, her first instinct being to ignore it entirely, but then it occurred to her that she could make a lasting impression on her child. She jumped at the chance. "It's more than fair, Rachel. I've warned you before what the consequence will be when you choose to curse and be disrespectful. This is me following through with that." She let her words sit for a minute and really sink in on Rachel's end. Only when she was sure that they had did she continue, "And finally, we are not mean to anyone, ever. We've talked about your rudeness and disrespectful behavior far too many times now. I promised you a spanking the next time you acted that way and I will always keep my promises to you, Rachel Barbra."
Saying all she needed to, Shelby wasted no time and delivered the first of many hard slaps across her daughter's bottom. She left little space between when the sting from one swat blossomed and the next one landed. The onslaught was overwhelming, the warm-up much harder than the last time she had spanked her daughter, and it was meant to be. She wanted to leave no doubt in her child's mind that her behavior was unequivocally and irrevocably unacceptable.
Rachel was still reeling from the fact that her mom was really going to wash her mouth out with soap on top of the spanking she was already due when the spanking actually began. Pain overrode every other thought and emotion flying through Rachel's head in that moment, overwhelming her with an explosion of pure—OW! There was no fighting it; all she could do was cry.
Shelby steeled her heart against her child's tears, hating herself for being the cause of them. Her actions are the cause of them, she reminded herself sternly. She had more than enough opportunities to change her behavior or talk to me. With that thought firmly in place, Shelby focused her attention on the undercurve of Rachel's bottom where she would feel it most each and every time she sat down for the remainder of the day. She had been serious when she told the girl she was going to give her something to think on and remember.
For all of Rachel's earlier bravado that a spanking wouldn't be a big deal, she could handle it and blah blah blah—she was WRONG. It hurt. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt! She had known it would, and that she would cry, but now that she was living it—God, it was so much worse than what she had remembered from last time. This made last time seem like a walk in the park! Rachel groaned, realizing her poorly-chosen metaphor even in the midst of her present...ordeal.
"Ow! Mmmhmmphhh—Ah! Mom—Mommy—N-No more!" Rachel howled when her mother's palm made contact with the very delicate skin of her upper thighs, speaking volumes to Shelby's displeasure. "OWHOWWOW! Please—Ow! Mommy, STOP!"
God, Shelby felt like the biggest jerk on the planet. She wasn't immune to her daughter's pleas—each one was like a hot knife stabbing her heart. Deciding a small break wouldn't go amiss, Shelby did stop. She flexed her hand to alleviate some of the growing sting there and took stock of her daughter's appearance. Rachel was crying steadily and had wiggled her way further across Shelby's knee and the bed beyond with all of the kicking and squirming she had done during this most recent volley to her tender sit-spots. While her bottom was now sporting a brilliant shade of red, the girl was still putting up quite a fight, so Shelby knew she hadn't yet reached her limit.
The mother rested her hand atop that rosy skin, feeling the growing warmth rising from it. Rachel squirmed under her touch and Shelby took a very brief moment to rub at the sting. "Settle down, Rachel. We're not finished yet," she added when her child tried to stand. Rachel cried harder.
"Nooo, why?!" Rachel whimpered. None of this was happening the way she thought it would. Her mother hadn't dragged out the questioning or even the lecture, she jumped right into the spanking, and now said spanking was going on and on and on. This was supposed to have been the easier choice! Don't reveal her secret, make it through the spanking, everything would be fine. Why wasn't that the case?!
"It's almost over, baby," Shelby assured her distraught child. This really was the worst part of being a mother! Taking a steadying breath, she went on. "I need your complete attention, Rachel, are you listening to me?"
Rachel nodded, her crying going up an octave, but she was listening—what other choice did she have?
"Good girl," Shelby praised. "The behavior you have been exhibiting the last two weeks is finished, is that clear? I've been patient, I've been understanding—it's over, Rachel. No more. No more rude remarks or going off and sulking when you aren't getting your way. No more cursing at anyone—no slapping anyone. And absolutely no more mean, spiteful behavior. Am I making myself clear?"
"Y-Yes!" Rachel wailed, just wishing for the end of this horrible experience.
"I mean it, Rachel. If I ever so much as hear that you've been deliberately nasty to anyone, I don't care who, you'll be right back where you are now—only next time it'll be the back of my hairbrush across your bare bottom. I am not raising a bully, Rachel Barbra Corcoran!"
Her mother's words alone were enough to tear down the last of Rachel's defenses and she dissolved into loud, heart-wrenching sobs. At the same time, Shelby resumed her fast-paced tempo, building to a grand crescendo that absolutely wore her child out. Bawling, exhausted, Rachel cried out incoherent apologies and promises to be good before finally giving in and going limp across her mother's lap. She didn't have it in her to fight any more, she just wanted it to be over.
Having at last reached the point she had been waiting for, Shelby finished with half a dozen scorchers evenly distributed across Rachel's bottom to really drive her message home. Shelby released her hold on the girl then, wanting to allow her the space to get up as soon as she was ready, but Rachel continued to lay there, sobbing.
"It's over, honey," Shelby spoke softly, the hand that had only moments ago punished with such precision now rubbing soothing circles on a heaving back.
Rachel cried now from a jumble of self-pity, pain, and good, old-fashioned relief. Relief that it was over, that she survived, and most importantly, that her secret was still, well—a secret.
A full minute had passed with Rachel still lying across Shelby's lap, crying just as hard as she had at the worst of her punishment, and Shelby couldn't help but feel the tremendous weight of Mom Guilt settle around her. She knew she had been hard on her girl, but had she been too hard? Her hand lowered now to ease the sting from hot, reddened skin. Relief flooded her as she felt her child relax into her touch and her tears calm.
Rachel wiggled to get down (up?) and Shelby was quick to help her stand on wobbly legs. Her panties, (which she had been surprised had actually stayed on her legs through all of her kicking), now fell to the floor where she left them, a puddle at her feet. She had no desire to feel even the least confining material against her enflamed cheeks any time soon—in fact, the weight of her t-shirt brushing against her skin as it fell to cover her was even too much.
Shelby looked into the splotchy, tear-streaked face of her baby and her heart broke. She really did hate this part of motherhood. But it was over now and they could move past this. Bending forward, she reached for the panties pooled at Rachel's ankles, intending to return them to their proper place. Rachel shook her head as she slipped one foot then the other out of the leg holes. She met her eyes in confusion.
"It—It hurts. Can I leave them off for a while and just—just lay in bed with you?" Rachel said between sniffles.
"Sure, baby," Shelby agreed, grabbing up the discarded underwear before standing. She reached for her child's good hand and led them from the room.
Rachel frowned as she was led away. What was going on? She gulped as she was guided across the hall and into her mother's room. "Mom—Wait!" she panicked. Shelby turned questioning eyes on her. "Are you—am I getting my mouth washed out now?" she worried. She remembered her mom telling her that that would happen "later". Rachel assumed it would at least be after she was held and cuddled though—that's what was supposed to happen after a spanking! Not—Not an immediate mouth-washing.
The tears that had slowed but hadn't stopped grew in intensity as she waited on an answer. Was her mom still that angry with her that she wasn't going to hold her yet? She just wanted to be held.
"Oh, honey, no," Shelby assured, pulling her child into her arms. "I thought we'd be more comfortable curling up in my bed for a while, maybe watch a movie if you want." She kissed Rachel's damp hair, then stepped back to meet her eyes. Rachel burst into tears once more.
Unsure of where the new tears had come from, Shelby ushered Rachel to the side of her bed. Climbing up first, she then helped the girl up after and pulled her into her arms. "What's wrong, honey? What's with these fresh tears, hmm?" she murmured.
"I t-th-thought you were still t-too mad to h—hold me!" Rachel wailed, clinging to her mother like a life-line. "I just w-w-want y-you to l-love me!"
"Oh, Rachel," Shelby choked back her own sobs. "Baby, of course I'm not mad—I wasn't ever truly mad. Upset, sure—but I've been calm ever since you got home, right?"
Rachel wasn't sure "calm" would be the way she would describe her mother's behavior since she got home. She ran out in a frenzied tizzy when Jack's truck pulled up, looking a bit crazed the whole damn time. She had swatted Rachel in the middle of the driveway, completely out in the open—definitely not calm. Then there was her storming into Rachel's room before, scaring the bejesus out of her in the process, and the whirlwind that was The Spanking. Not calm!
On the other hand, Shelby had let Rachel go to her room when she came in from talking with Jack; she had hugged her and reassured her of her love the moment she had come upstairs. She let her take a bath despite the fact that a shower would have been easier (and faster)—and didn't swat Rachel out of the bathroom afterwards even though Rachel knew she would have deserved it for the way she had been behaving then. It was even the way, as hard as The Spanking had been and as stern as Shelby was during it, she still took a moment to pause and rub sore skin while Rachel caught her breath, calling her baby and assuring that it was almost over.
Rachel nodded against Shelby's shoulder that yes, her mother had, in fact, been calm the whole time.
"But even if I was, I would never be too mad to hold you, sweetheart. I love you—all of you. And I will always love you. Okay?" Shelby asserted with such conviction that Rachel didn't question it.
"O-Okaaaay," she cried, though her tears were already slowing once again.
"Okay," Shelby echoed, running her hand down her child's back. She very gently tugged the baggy shirt up, (being mindful of Rachel's sore bottom), enough to reach under it and scratch her nails lightly against bare skin. She knew how much Rachel enjoyed that and the calming effect it had her.
As the girl began to relax and her tears slowed and finally stopped, Shelby scooted them so that Rachel was laying on her stomach on the bed. Shelby propped herself up on her right side, her left hand continuing its slow, circular skimming across her child's back. Rachel's eyes began to grow heavy and flutter, taking longer between each blink; she would be asleep in a matter of seconds.
"I love you, my sweet baby girl," Shelby whispered into her child's ear as she leaned forward to place a kiss to her flushed cheek. Rachel answered with a muddled 'I love you' back, followed by a long sigh as she relaxed fully into the mattress. Shelby smiled and watched her breathing slow and even out, then ever-so-carefully disentangled her hand from beneath Rachel's shirt. She smoothed the fabric across Rachel's back but left it tucked up and clear from the teenager's tender backside. She knew from personal experience that even the lightest pressure against such a hot and sore, well-spanked rear was uncomfortable at best. With one last brush of lips against a temple, Shelby eased herself off of the bed and left her child to her dreams.
Walking downstairs, Shelby let her own weariness finally show. Deciding she'd settle down with a cup of coffee, she busied herself with the process. And as the pot began to brew, the mother finally looked at the time glowing on the oven's control panel. Had it really only been sixteen minutes since she had marched into Rachel's bedroom on her mission to impart such a memorable lesson? It seemed a lifetime had passed.
Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms
Quinn rolled onto her side, scrunching her face up as she felt something wet against her cheek. "Ugh," she groaned, rubbing at the drool at the corner of her mouth. She groggily blinked her eyes trying to focus, then sat up and rubbed at them with the back of her fingers. Finally looking at her clock on her nightstand, she was shocked at the time. 4:27PM! That meant she had managed to fall asleep for…an hour and twenty minutes!
Quinn didn't remember even closing her eyes—her thoughts had been spinning and worry had made her stomach churn. She had been so sure that Shelby was going to storm over and bring the wrath of the heavens down upon her within minutes of Quinn having gone to her room. Instead, she fell asleep—for nearly ninety minutes! Surely if Shelby had come, she would have told Frannie—Frannie would have woken her up for something like that…right?
Did that mean Rachel hadn't told her mom the truth? That seemed crazy. Shelby had looked plenty pissed from what Quinn had seen. She wouldn't have kept quiet with an angry mother looming over her—particularly not one who clearly had no qualms with a very hands-on approach. Then again, Rachel had had plenty of other opportunities to tell and hadn't taken any of them. She had reached what should have been the breaking point and just kept going, standing her ground and acting as if it wasn't bothering her even though it so clearly was.
It was then that a lightbulb went off. It was just like at school! Rachel never showed her vulnerability, she never once went to a teacher or the administration. She held her head high and pretended it wasn't going on. She let the really fucked up things continue to happen to her because…Quinn wasn't sure why—or, she hadn't been, until now. She never had to think about it before.
Rachel exuded confidence at school, despite the bullying, despite the slushies. She was involved in everything, a straight-A's honor student—she had seemed to have the perfect home life with loving, doting parents and—And then, the truth came out. Magazines and tabloids had had a field day when the news broke. For every one positive story about this beautiful reunion between mother and child, there were ten truly terrible ones claiming all sorts of hurtful things.
Quinn recalled Lexi telling her about Rachel's fears, that she thought it was somehow her fault for her dads leaving her, not wanting her. She didn't have friends, no one to turn to. Her mother that she had known for—what? All of two months? And that she'd only just come to live with. The mother that was famous and had everything she could possibly want—now Rachel's only parent who would take her. Rachel let the really fucked up things continue to happen to her because she didn't think she was worthy of anything else.
That realization hit the young teen like a ton of bricks. She had contributed to Rachel's pain. Hell, if it hadn't had been for that fateful day in the cafeteria where Rachel just happened to be in Quinn's crosshairs, she may never have gotten a target on her back in the first place, never became the school's biggest bully magnet. That was on Quinn. And everything that had happened to Rachel since Quinn stepped foot in her house had been on Quinn too. That—more than the fear of getting into trouble, more than whatever Frannie would say or even do, more than even Shelby hating her until the end of eternity—that was the very worst part of any of the outcomes. The unfathomable pain Quinn had caused to the scared, hurting girl next door.
Knowing that she had to make things right (and knowing she may never be able to), Quinn jumped out of bed and ran as fast as her shaky legs would carry her, down the hall and then the stairs in search of her sister.
Frannie was stretched out on the sofa and had been mindlessly scrolling through Twitter when she heard a loud thud from the floor above, then pounding footfalls trampling down the stairs. Heart in her throat, she leapt from the sofa as her sister sped into the room. Tears were streaming down the girl's face and she looked as if she had just seen a ghost.
"What's wrong? What's wrong!" she said frantically, rushing over to check Quinn for any obvious signs of injury. "What hurts?"
"I-It's my fault!" Quinn wailed. The guilt and final realization of everything she had done pressed down on her, threatening to crush her under their weight.
"W—What is?" Frannie asked, hands reaching out to cradle Quinn's head while tilting upwards, searching pained eyes. "What's wrong, baby?"
Quinn choked back a sob, her mind dazed with wonder for the tiniest fraction of a second—only her mother had ever called her baby and what did that mean that Frannie had? The look in those older hazel eyes—Quinn had never seen Frannie look at her that way before either. Overwhelmed and heart near its breaking point, Quinn blurted out the truth. "I'm the one—I'm Rachel's bully in school. It's me. It's my fault she—she's always glaring and doesn't w-wa-want to be around when we're over! S-S-Shelby doesn't kn—know!"
A/N: And that wraps up this chapter! Next will deal with the big reveal, to Frannie and then to Shelby and Rachel. Lots and lots of drama and tears coming. And Quinn isn't going to know what hit her—literally. Let me know what you thought of this chapter and what you're looking forward to in the next!